Weeding seems to be the theme for me this month. July was busy and we weren't outside in our yard much ... now I wander outside and everywhere I look the weeds seem to be winning more and more space in my landscape. I'm not much of a gardener, but I can pull weeds ... I even find it rather soothing and meditative. Someday I'll have a lush garden too, but for now, I'm just weeding out the bad and making room for what's to come in my garden.

Now step inside my home and the weeding continues! I'm weeding out things that we just don't use or need anymore. Like weeding the garden, I need to do this often or else I start to lose the battle. With two growing kids, we OUTGROW stuff quickly. There are constantly new things coming into the house and the old just simply has to go or else there is NO ROOM TO GROW!

This year I decided to take it a bit farther ... and weed out some habits that don't serve me or my family either. I've noticed when maintaining my house that I can't keep up. I can spend HOURS cleaning off the kitchen counter ... only to have it completely cluttered again by the end of the day. I can put away the pile of stuff inside my bedroom door only have it reappear soon again. I'd like to blame everyone else in the family. (I've actually tried that ... but then as I stomp around putting stuff away I realize half of the stuff was put there by me ... I don't remember where, why or when, but I know it was me ... dammit!). So I may not be the only offender ... but I admit to being the worst offender in the house. Here's how it goes:

I put the dishes from breakfast in the sink or on the counter instead of taking 5 more seconds to put it in the dishwasher ....then the rest of the dishes end up piling up all day!

I take my shoes off and put them inside my bedroom door instead of taking three more steps (and maybe 15 seconds) and putting them inside the closet where they belong.

I walk into a clean bathroom to get ready in the morning and then rush off to the next thing ... leaving the hair dryer, brush, toothpaste etc on the counter ... it would have taken me 10 seconds to put it all away ....

I pull out a pen to write a note and don't put it back in the drawer when I'm done (a one second fix!) ...

I take out the thermometer to check a temperature and leave it on the counter (for days) when it would have taken me 30 seconds to return it to the bathroom cabinet ....

And of course I have my excuses (the kids started fighting and I never got back to it ... the water started boiling over and I had to tend to that ... we were late and I didn't have time .... ). Does this stuff sound familiar to anyone else out there?!! I'm sharing my story with this because I'm pretty sure others are caught in this spiral too ....

In the end, what it really comes down to for me is that I'm not being present while I go through my day. I'm not even aware of the turmoil I'm leaving in my path until it's a disaster and I have to find an hour or two to get control of it again. Add in the things left unfinished by my husband and the 12 toys and games my kids have started and not finished in the last two hours and I AM IN THE WEEDS! It's nearly impossible to catch up again. I (yes, it's usually me) spend hours trying to clean up the damage done in the same places over and over, while the rest of the house and other things that I'd like to make a priority fall victim to neglect! It's nearly impossible to ever get ahead of the game when we are living like this.

So here I am ... aware of something that's no longer working. And I'm tired of getting mad about it. I'm changing the habit because I really want it to be different. Like the saying goes ... if you want something to be different tomorrow then you have to do something different today. So the new habit I'm cultivating this summer is to move a little slower, to be present and aware of every task I undertake from beginning TO THE END, and finish what I start. I might be a few minutes late but my counters will be clean and more manageable ... and that makes this mommy very happy .... which makes my whole family much happier too. (And that's good feng shui!)

What habits would you like to weed out this summer? Please share in the comments below.

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Author

Kerri is the founder of Feng Shui Pathways (formerly Holistic Living Resources). Using a combination of tools including Feng Shui, Aromatherapy, Coaching, Organizing and Space Clearing she works with clients to create spaces that are comfortable, functional, supportive and inspiring. Kerri offers workshops and is available for speaking engagements on the topic of Feng Shui.